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Wings Over Scotland


STATEMENT OF CLARIFICATION

Posted on January 09, 2013 by

A short time ago we received an angry message from someone purporting to be a representative of the anti-independence “Better Together” campaign. It read as follows:

Dear Sir,

“Mars is in fact the only place that the Trident weapons system definitely WON’T be going”

I presume you have a link to back that up? It’s absolutely, 100% certain it won’t and can’t go to Mars? Have you taken legal advice, and if so was that general or specific advice, and was the legal adviser a Martian or a universe expert on Martian law?

Perhaps Trident will stay and Scotland in its entirety may have to be sent to Mars! Have you considered that, huh? Huh? No I bet not because you stupid separatist Yes types have never considered these kinds of questions, despite having over 300 years to do it!”

Yours,
Bet R. Together (Mrs),
BRITAIN, THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Wings Over Scotland would like to take this opportunity to retract our earlier assertion. It is entirely possible that either Trident or all of Scotland might be transported to Mars – a situation which would unquestionably result in the safeguarding of thousands, perhaps millions, of jobs, and a much-needed end to the disastrous fear, doubt and uncertainty being experienced by businesses both in Scotland and on the Red Planet.

Such a prospect is, indeed, at least as plausible as that of a UK government granting the Scottish Parliament extra powers in the event of a No vote. We apologise if we have misled readers in any way. Thank you for your attention.

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69 to “STATEMENT OF CLARIFICATION”

  1. GlasVegas
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ll get my passport!

  2. FreddieThreepwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Uch, now you’ve got me all confused … I suppose I’ll have to vote ‘no’ in 2014 – you know, just to put my mind at rest.

  3. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    Of course the truth is 3,999,999 jobs in Scotland depend on Trident and the other 1 million or so are pretendy poverty stricken SNP scum, sucking from the welfare teat of a something for nothing country which said scum has sneekily created.
     
    Vote NO and get Nu Trident and zero welfare/services 2014!
     
    A Labour in North Britain press release. 😉
     
    ENDS

  4. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m starting a Martians for Independence group on Facebook if anyone’s interested.

    Despite what Mr Darling says, I don’t consider them ‘foreigners’.

  5. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah for goodness sake Rev. more lies. Better(the gether) not let that out!!

  6. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    I’d suggest Venus as a possibility, but I’d need to check Mrs SS’s views first, what with her being from there.

  7. cath
    Ignored
    says:

    Heh! WoS found out telling lies! Being dragged back here to apologise and clarify. How can anyone ever trust a word the Rev says ever, ever again? From now I’ll be taking my information only from the Scotsman.

  8. molly
    Ignored
    says:

    Can I just ask, is the British Empire that pub sitting on the left when you turn off the M25 ? As ‘one of those stupid seperatist Yes types’ I like to try and keep up with things .

  9. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    You mean the jobs aren’t coming to Uranus after all?????

    Erse! 😀 

  10. James McLaren
    Ignored
    says:

    I posted this at the fag end of a thread after everybody had moved onto another pitch so here goes again with the non rhetorical question.

     
     
     
    9 January, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    “Darling has flipped his residence, for Westroughminster expenses purposes so often, does anyone know if he is in fact resident in Scotland and will have a vote in 2014?
    Just askin, like? “

      

  11. Scotswhahea
    Ignored
    says:

     
    scottish_skier says:
    9 January, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    I’m starting a Martians for Independence group on Facebook if anyone’s interested.
    Despite what Mr Darling says, I don’t consider them ‘foreigners’.

    Send me the link, I wanna be in on the action…

  12. cath
    Ignored
    says:

    I was inspired by the astronomers for independence page posted here yesterday so set up a “Mods and Hippies for indy” one if anyone’s interested. Will be rockin’ through to 2014 with vaguely referendum inspired (perhaps, sometimes) beat, mod and psychedelia 🙂 It made last night a lot easier to cope with than following politics on Twitter would have done.
    http://www.facebook.com/HippiesAndModsForAnIndependentScotland?ref=hl
     

  13. Dave Smith
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice one Cath. I just joined your gang! 🙂

    Anyway, if they’ve said it’s 100% not going to Mars, that means it 100% IS! 

  14. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    @Scotswhahea
    “Send me the link, I wanna be in on the action”

    I knew there were some among us already. Explains the prevalence of red hair. 

  15. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Business leaders worried about uncertainty over independence/EU membership being put at risk.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20956130

    Nothing to do with the jocks, but thought I’d post it anyway. 

    I wonder if the UK MSM realise that people in Scotland watch/read the UK MSM.

  16. Greatleader
    Ignored
    says:

    Hail earth type people and labour supporters,

    I the Greatleader of the MAR’s martian’s for independence party, wish to inform you we do not require your nuclear weapons upon our planet, please kindly keep your nuclear trash off of our planet and return it to whom it belongs. (Westminster).

    If you disregard this warning we will ofcourse activate our planet scouring death ships which are powered by clean “matter/antimatter reactors through dilithium crystals. You have been warned.

    PS. Please continue to broadcast your “Better Together” scare stories, we have a competition going for the stupidest. 
    Mine is ‘ you will have to learn martian to get a council job if you are independent’. big hopes.

    yours sincerely,
    Greatleader.  

  17. Cuphook
    Ignored
    says:

    An odd report in the Highland News about Darling’s visit to the Royal British Legion in Inverness. He is quoted as saying “we are Scottish, and we are proud to be English, we don’t have to choose.” Is this just a reporting error?

  18. AndrewFraeGovan
    Ignored
    says:

    Mars ma-arse

  19. James McLaren
    Ignored
    says:

    Fairs fair AFG, Trident will be circling Uranus looking for Klingons.

  20. Dave Smith
    Ignored
    says:

    Mars attacks; SNP accused.

  21. velofello
    Ignored
    says:

    Huv they deep fried cuisine on Mars? Jist askin ye ken.

  22. pmcrek
    Ignored
    says:

    Britainball cannot into space.

  23. Seasick Dave
    Ignored
    says:

    I was pleased to hear Angus Robertson helpfully point out on Newsdrive Scotland that Ian Davidson had, in fact, voted for the removal of Trident.

    What’s he like, eh?

     

  24. Yesitis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cuphook
    Perhaps a freudian slip by Mr Darling?
    One Nation Labour England perhaps?

  25. cath
    Ignored
    says:

    “Huv they deep fried cuisine on Mars? Jist askin ye ken.”

    The bigger question, to which some enquiring minds (so not the SNP or Yes campaign clearly) have already been appliying themselves is surely, do they play the bagpipes on Mars?

     

     You do have to ask what they’re smoking in Canada these days…
      

  26. Vronsky
    Ignored
    says:

    @James McLaren

    “Darling has flipped his residence, for Westroughminster expenses purposes so often, does anyone know if he is in fact resident in Scotland and will have a vote in 2014?”

    Sounds like that joke about the driver who stops to ask a yokel to check if his indicator is working.  Says the yokel: yes-no-yes-no-yes-no-yes-no-yes-no-yes-no…
     
    Glasgow Herald front page tomorrow: Martian Protestants unhappy about Venusian Catholics wanting independence from Jovian Muslemists (photos).  And a crossword.  You gotta buy it!

  27. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Are you telling me that comment was for REAL !!!

    I thought it was just one of the regulars having a laugh

    Bloooooody hell……un – ******** – believe – able…..

  28. A. Martian
    Ignored
    says:

    Ye can take yer Tridents and shove them by the way, we’ve got enough shite here tae be getting on wi what wi the Borge dumping their nutters on us. Any mair o yer keech and we will send Khan Noonien Singh back tae gie yes a right doing. The Suliban and Xindi are gagging for a right good rammy. Well until they saw Stairheid oan the telly this morning.

  29. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    “Huv they deep fried cuisine on Mars? Jist askin ye ken.”

    Confectionary giant Mars has disowned and distanced themselves from deep fried Mars bars deep fried on Mars. In a statement a spokesmartian said: “Nithin’ tae dae wi’ us”. Jaikie Baillie, who was seen consuming several Mars Bars outside Greggs near George Square, Glasgow, said that the Red Planet Mars was a traditional Labour seat that would never give in to an invading sub-species like the SNP, and preferred her Mars Bar ‘uncooked’ as she could eat ‘mair o’ them afore a felt seek’. She went on … and on … about the Red Planet being a traditional shipbuilding area that supported 50 trillion wee Martians and their weans, and Martian Independence would be a ‘nuclear disaster’.

    Jim Murphy MP (Martian Prole) was unavailable for comment as he has been frozen in a cryogenic unit for another 100 years to shut him up.

    Johann Lament MSP (Martian Super Prole) was unavailable for comment as she disappeared into a big black monolith orbiting Jupiter which she mistakenly thought was a mega Mars Bar. 

  30. Bill
    Ignored
    says:

    Trident will remain on the clyde till they expire, a martian told me. #lulz

  31. heraldnomore
    Ignored
    says:

    Perhaps Charles Green’s proposing taking his wee team to Mars too; though why he’d not want to finish the season when they’ve a chance of winning their first ever trophy is a strange one on me

  32. Richie
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry O/T.
    I tried to post this earlier Stu but I think it had too many links or something and it might have been blocked. Anyway it’s an email I got from 38 degrees about Trump, Salmond wind turbines etc. Thought folks here might be interested. I’ll try again without the links.

     It’s working! Already nearly 5000 of us have emailed Alex Salmond to stop Donald Trump wrecking Scotland’s green future. Thank you.
    Donald Trump is trying a last ditch attempt to scare thousands of people into emailing Alex Salmond to stop an important new wind farm. Together we’ve been emailing the First Minister to make sure he hears loud and clear that he should stand up to Trump.The decision could come anytime now, so we need to make sure that Alex Salmond gets a final flood of emails that massively outweigh Trump’s opposition. If we all ask our friends and family to send an email then Trump’s plan will massively backfire!Please forward this email to your friends and family and ask them to send a quick email too:https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/email-alex-salmond——-Here’s the original email:Dear Richard,Has Donald Trump sunk to a new low? On Friday, he splashed two full-page adverts in Scottish newspapers linking new wind farms to the Lockerbie disaster – and called for people to email Alex Salmond with their opposition. [1]It’s hard to imagine what was going through his mind when he agreed ads which said:“Tourism will suffer and the beauty of your country is in jeopardy! This is the same mind that backed the release of terrorist al-Megrahi, ‘for humane reasons’ – after he ruthlessly killed 270 people on Pan-Am flight 103 over Lockerbie.Trump thinks that he can buy opposition to wind farms by flashing his cash to push misleading information. But what if we could turn the tables on Trump and show him that for all his money, he’s no match for people power?Together we can flood Alex Salmond with messages of support for renewable energy and make sure that Trump’s plan backfires. It takes two minutes to write to Alex Salmond – click here to get started:https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/email-alex-salmondAnd do you know why Trump is kicking up such a fuss? Because he thinks a new wind turbine test centre will ruin the feel of hisluxury golf course on the Aberdeenshire coast. He’s throwing everything he’s got at trying to stop the planning application from going through.But there’s huge potential for Scotland to become a world leader in green energy, bringing new jobs for Scots and more investment for the economy. [2]Click here to tell Alex Salmond to make sure the Scottish Government take up every opportunity to unlock our green potential:https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/email-alex-salmond38 Degrees members have a strong history of standing up to big money. Big companies sponsoring the 2012 Olympics were hoping for a windfall from tax dodging during the Games – until we got them to promise to pay taxes on their Olympic profits.And we’ve stood up to Trump before. Along with the campaign group Tripping up Trump, we stood shoulder to shoulder with brave local residents when Donald Trump wanted to evict families from their homes in Menie. [3]Click here to take two minutes to email Alex Salmond now:https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/email-alex-salmond

  33. Richie
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Stu.
    Had a couple of posts blocked by your spam filter, I think. Just wondered if you’d want to check them out and see if they’re worth allowing on to the site. Both posts are the same.

    Cheers. 

  34. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    Fixed. Akismet hates multiple links.

  35. pro-loco
    Ignored
    says:

    Off topic but on the subject of misinformation and misdirection there was the big topic of a proposed levy on Scotch whisky run by the BBC today. Cue horror and outrage by the Scotch Whisky industry at the thought. However HMRC are currently proposing to levy £220,000 + on Scotch Whisky producers to replace the existing minimal cost system  of issuing certificates of age.
    Here is the link to the HMRC consultation document:  
    http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/consultations/verification-scotch.pdf 

  36. Rabb
    Ignored
    says:

    So Darling took his No campaign roadshow to the Brittish Legion?

    Is that not like taking a christian mission to the churches!

    Where is it tomorrow? The Elgin Orange Lodge?

    Keep it up Mr Darling 🙂  

  37. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    First you have to convince the martians that they are better together. No more “universe” benefits for the poor martians.

  38. Cuphook
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rabb
     
    If you read the article that I linked to earlier it doesn’t look like he got an easy ride. You can’t take things for granted anymore.

  39. dadsarmy
    Ignored
    says:

    You have to ask yourself this question:

    Which would I prefer?

    1). A wind turbine standing in the North sea generating electricity.
    2). Donald Trump standing in the North Sea generating methane.

    Answers in an email …

  40. Derick
    Ignored
    says:

    Strange, but the mention of Trump caused me to break wind as they say in Enbra
    This place is getting like Viz top tips!
    save money on contact lenses by cutting out circles of cling film
     

  41. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Damn separatist Brits. So inward looking 😉

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20961651

    Loving the irony of it all.

  42. douglas clark
    Ignored
    says:

    Curiosity  finds a form of life on Mars!
     
    Reuters:
     
    The Mars Science Laboratory has found life on Mars!
     
    Johann Lamont was discovered hiding behind a rock.
     

  43. douglas clark
    Ignored
    says:

    Oops, I seem to have made a mess of that!

  44. Rabb
    Ignored
    says:

    @dadsarmy says:

    You have to ask yourself this question:
    Which would I prefer?
    1). A wind turbine standing in the North sea generating electricity.
    2). Donald Trump standing in the North Sea generating methane.
    Answers in an email …

    Option 2 but only if we can find some way of harnessing the energy produced from the movement of his ridiculous comb over 🙂 I’m certain it would generate more than a wind turbine 

  45. cath
    Ignored
    says:

    “The Mars Science Laboratory has found life on Mars!

    Johann Lamont was discovered hiding behind a rock.”

    A piece of bacteria on the rock later told the Scotsman, “it’s tremendously exciting to find there are other life forms in the universe, but a little disappointing it doesn’t appear to be intelligent”  

  46. douglas clark
    Ignored
    says:

    Cath,
     
    🙂
     
     
     
     

  47. Keef
    Ignored
    says:

    I tried posting this the other day and it ended up on a thread from may last year?

    So I will try again.

       
    “You take the highlight…”
     
    This particular thread helps to highlight a situation that seems endemic to pro-Independence blogs and websites.
     
    From the outset I will concede that I have no empirical evidence to justify my claims of this, it is based solely on my over arching feelings and observations from reading countless hours of articles/posts on these sites.
     
    To me it seems that most sites ‘content’ are driven by the need to repudiate the latest lies inaccuracy, smears and disingenuous comments/sound bites that are fed almost daily to the anti-Independence media by the ‘Better Together’ campaigners and the various Lords, MP’s and anyone else who has a vested interest in seeing Scotland’s bid for autonomy fail . These comments range from mere bias to the just plain stupid. However, regardless of the severity of the negative information, they are nonetheless ‘highlighted’ by the more observant of the pro-Independence fraternity and shown up for what they are worth.
     
    As a consequence, matters that deserved no further comment should have died on the lips of the speaker, or in that small timeframe of TV coverage – reached the bare minimum of the populace are instead further propagated. As the Nazi propagandist Goebbels said “if you repeat a lie often enough it becomes the truth”. Readers should note he said nothing about who should be repeating the lie. So there is a danger that in highlighting these absurdities the Yes campaign is promulgating the ideas and dis-information that the no campaign wish to disseminate. Furthermore, a vast amount of time and resources are wasted on researching these inaccuracies- time that would be better spent on promoting the positive benefits of an autonomous Scotland.
     
    Moreover, an autonomous Scotland will need to meet the aspirations of the people who voted for it. These aspirations and goals require someone to define them and in defining them – debate the merits of them. Who better than the people who populate these sites and what better time than now?  For us to spend precious time arguing with ‘trolls’ about “he said/she said” nonsense must be so counter-productive, not to mention demoralising. What’s more, it plays directly into their hands. I have to admire some of their tactics. They are, after all just doing their ‘bit’ for their respective campaigns. They understand their ‘National” newspapers have all but lost their mass appeal. So now have changed tack and began to print headlines and articles that blogs like these will pick up on and carry back to the Yes campaign (much like the Trojan horse). They must be tickled pink when they see the amount of times that posts on pro-Independence sites ‘link’ to some ‘outrageous’ article in their broadsheets. It means they get readers accessing their sites that would ordinarily never go there.
     
    Speaking of newspapers, I came across a curious fact just the other day. A startling fact that left me feeling cold, confused and slightly ashamed. For well over a year I have read posts by readers who are at their wits end with regards the ‘pulp’ that is being fed to the populace via the MSM and how they wished there was an ‘Independent’ newspaper to counter this. The feeling was almost palpable from some of the comments as they ‘beseeched’ someone to do something about it. Perhaps Alex Salmond has read these comments and taken note. For on the 3rd Jan. whilst leading a tribute to Jimmy Halliday the First Minister mentioned that Jimmy was (amongst other things) the chair of the longest Newspaper still in print in Scotland – namely the Scots Independent. After doing a little research I found that this paper is printed weekly and has been in publication since 1926. It is also online albeit in a very limited fashion. However, what I found most disturbing is that this paper is not widely publicised amongst the pro-Independence sites. There are no links to it, no ‘free’ advertising of it, in fact it seems to be left to ‘blow in the wind’ (pun intended).
     
    So where is the innovation in Scotland? Where are the mass of volunteers rushing to ramp this paper’s circulation up? Where are the movers and shakers who wish to see a pro-Independence broadsheet on the newsstands daily? Surely to God there must be at least a couple of good men and women who could ‘make’ this into a daily paper for the mass population to read. Please don’t tell me there is not enough will power to see this paper flourish and outsell the rest of the ‘crap’ that is being fed to the people of Scotland at present. This is an asset of such huge potential that it should be made a major priority. Seeing this paper on the newsstands will go a long way to galvanising the people of Scotland in the run in to next year’s Yes vote.
     
    Finally, readers who expect to read any sort of poll showing the Yes campaign in front in the MSM or BBC are verging on the delusional. The people behind these outlets can barely lie straight in bed never mind print the facts untouched. They will grudgingly show a slight increase in the Yes vote towards the middle of the year to engender a bit of credibility. But Folks – that’s as good as it gets with this shower.
     
     
     

  48. Doug Daniel
    Ignored
    says:

    Douglas Clark: “Reuters:
     
    The Mars Science Laboratory has found life on Mars!
     
    Johann Lamont was discovered hiding behind a rock.”

    Was she available for comment? 

  49. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Where are the movers and shakers who wish to see a pro-Independence broadsheet on the newsstands daily? Surely to God there must be at least a couple of good men and women who could ‘make’ this into a daily paper for the mass population to read. Please don’t tell me there is not enough will power to see this paper flourish and outsell the rest of the ‘crap’ that is being fed to the people of Scotland at present. This is an asset of such huge potential that it should be made a major priority. Seeing this paper on the newsstands will go a long way to galvanising the people of Scotland in the run in to next year’s Yes vote.”

    I must admit, I wasn’t aware of the publication’s existence until your post. I’ve had a look at the website, and I can’t say it inspires a great deal of optimism about the contents of the paper.

    Take it from someone who’s been in the business for 22 years this month – print journalism is dying, irretrievably. It would be great if there was a pro-independence paper on the streets every day, but the idea of creating one from scratch, or pouring investment into some ancient thing that nobody’s ever heard of and getting it into WH Smith, is a fantasy. A complete and utter pipedream. It’s not going to happen, and doubly not by next year. Come to terms with it. You could swallow the Weirs’ entire fortune with it in a year, and still not achieve a tenth of the circulation of the Sun or Record.

    The best we can hope for is to force the existing media into taking a more balanced position. We can achieve that partly by not buying them and letting them know why, and partly by continually pointing out and disseminating knowledge of where and when they’re telling lies.

    I’ve been keenly aware for a while now of the need not to just follow whatever agenda the anti-independence media is reporting on any given day. Wings Over Scotland regularly focuses on issues other than those being pushed by the Herald or Scotsman for precisely that reason. But our readership is still smaller than theirs, so any effect of propagating a lie is easily outweighed by drawing attention to the fact that it IS a lie.

  50. Keef
    Ignored
    says:

     
    “into some ancient thing that nobody’s ever heard of and getting it into WH Smith, is a fantasy. A complete and utter pipedream. It’s not going to happen, and doubly not by next year”.

    Stu I don’t quite understand your apparent disdain for this idea. I would not classify Alex Salmond as a ‘nobody’. Just because you had not heard of the paper does not automatically mean ‘nobody’ has ever heard of it. Indeed, if everyone believed, like you, that a project that was possible but seemed too hard to contemplate was a ‘complete and utter pipedream’ nothing worthwhile would ever be achieved. I’ll name the birth and growth of the SNP to hold a majority in a parliament that was designed to eliminate such a possibility. Or the quest of the Scots to live in an Independent nation as two such examples. Both seemed like pipedreams and were laughed at when first conceived. The first has come to fruition; I dare say the second will soon follow.

    Unlike you – I believe ‘if you try you might – if you don’t you won’t’. In your current reply I’d say you fall into the latter frame of mind. Having read some of the very well thought out and greatly articulated articles on your site I have to say I’m quite shocked at your apparent defeatist attitude.

    I mean to call the longest published Newspaper in Scotland (without having read a single printed edition) a ‘thing’ is pretty telling. So am I to assume that after little consideration, with little or no information of the Newspaper’s resources that you find it acceptable to declare the feasibility of ramping this paper up in the space of two years impossible? In doing so withdrawing all support for the idea? Are you still in the thrall of that last vote at Westminster perhaps?
     

  51. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Unlike you – I believe ‘if you try you might – if you don’t you won’t’. In your current reply I’d say you fall into the latter frame of mind.”

    In the light of what I’ve been doing for the last 15 months, I’d invite you to reassess what a ridiculous and enormously offensive assertion that is.

  52. Keef
    Ignored
    says:

    I think I have already acknowledged the good work you have been doing Stu. I thought I had made myself clear and qualified my statement by prefacing it with  “In your current reply”. This was meant to convey the idea that I was criticising your frame of mind on this one issue and I fail to see how this would imply your past 15 months efforts were of the same mindset. I find it odd that you would find that observation enormously offensive. However, please accept my apologies as this was never my intention.

  53. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    Apology accepted. There’s a difference between realism and defeatism. I think we’ll win. I disagree that we’ll achieve that by pumping money into some incredibly obscure ancient newspaper. Attempting such a thing would be a pointless distraction and a catastrophic drain on resources.

  54. AndrewFraeGovan
    Ignored
    says:

    In the light of what “Scots Independence” has been doing for the last 86 years and 3 months……..

  55. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “In the light of what “Scots Independence” has been doing for the last 86 years and 3 months……..”

    I didn’t say a word against the paper, and had I done so I’d at least have got its name right…

  56. AndrewFraeGovan
    Ignored
    says:

    Humble apologies about the typo. “I’ve had a look at the website, and I can’t say it inspires a great deal of optimism about the contents of the paper.” isn’t exactly generous about a paper that’s been working for Scottish independence since 1926, especially as you admit you haven’t actually read it.
    I’d recommend you get hold of a copy – it’s actually pretty good imo.

    p.s According to Wikipedia it has a circulation of around 6,000 – don’t know if that qualifies as “incredibly obscure” or not 🙂

  57. Keef
    Ignored
    says:

    Indeed there is a difference between realism and defeatism but being one does necessitate or exclude one from being the other either.
    I’m thoroughly convinced when you first conceived the idea for your site that you never gave it minutes thought that you would be surrounded by sycophants. In this instance I disagree strongly with your summation of the possibility of the Scots Independent playing a major role in the Yes campaign and appreciate the opportunity to voice my opinion. People have been ‘screaming out’ for a Newspaper that will carry the ideology of their aspirations. I think after surviving 86 years the Scots Independent must have something to offer.
     
    I see no harm in at least raising it’s profile.

  58. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    ““I’ve had a look at the website, and I can’t say it inspires a great deal of optimism about the contents of the paper.” isn’t exactly generous about a paper that’s been working for Scottish independence since 1926, especially as you admit you haven’t actually read it.”

    That comment seems a bit self-contradictory. I expressly made no judgement about the paper. It might be great. The website, however, is absolutely fucking awful, and does nothing to tempt me to investigate the print version. Either way, though, people need to accept that it’s not going to be the vehicle of victory.

  59. AndrewFraeGovan
    Ignored
    says:

    “The website, however, is absolutely fucking awful”

    Admittedly the website does need work.

    Do you judge all newspapers by the quality of their websites?

  60. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Do you judge all newspapers by the quality of their websites?”

    To a large extent, yes. I can’t think offhand of a decent paper with a rubbish website. The Herald’s is probably as bad as it gets.

  61. AndrewFraeGovan
    Ignored
    says:

    I can’t think offhand of a decent paper 😀

  62. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    I know about the Scots Independent newspaper as I used to work for the company that has the print contract. Last time I saw it was 2007 (then I moved jobs). It is mostly mono with two-colour front page masthead, around 16-24 pages with little advertising with a print run of 5000. It is a well-written little paper. I don’t know where it is distributed, so I guessed it may have been sent to SNP members or on a subscription only basis. To tell you the truth I’d almost forgotten about it until read Keef’s post.

  63. Keef
    Ignored
    says:

    “Do you judge all newspapers by the quality of their websites?”
    To a large extent, yes. I can’t think offhand of a decent paper with a rubbish website. The Herald’s is probably as bad as it gets.
     
    So a good website where money has been spent to make it look ‘flash’ even though the content is full of lies, smears, propaganda and anti-Independence bile = A decent Newspaper.
    A poorly constructed website where resources are tight expounding the virtues of a sovereign Scotland = An obscure ‘thing’ not worth bothering about.
    It calls to mind our own Adam Smith’s “the corruption of our moral sentiments, which is occasioned by this disposition to admire the rich and the great, and to despise or neglect persons of poor and mean condition”
    Just because the Scots Independent website is amateurish at best means you dismiss the newspaper  out of hand.

  64. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “A poorly constructed website where resources are tight expounding the virtues of a sovereign Scotland = An obscure ‘thing’ not worth bothering about.”

    It’s got nothing to do with “resources”. Man, this is starting to feel like another SDA.

  65. Keef
    Ignored
    says:

     
    Stu I beg to differ mate you said “Attempting such a thing would be a pointless distraction and a catastrophic drain on resources”

    I made a suggestion about the possibility of ramping up a pro-Independent newspaper circulation and profile.

    You slammed it out of hand and then accused me of being discourteous. All I’m doing is vigorously defending my point of view. I don’t speak for the others either. So please don’t take this as an attack on you.
     

  66. AndrewFraeGovan
    Ignored
    says:

    Surely people with web-design skills are “resources”

  67. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Stu I beg to differ mate you said “Attempting such a thing would be a pointless distraction and a catastrophic drain on resources” I made a suggestion about the possibility of ramping up a pro-Independent newspaper circulation and profile.”

    Yes, that’s correct. Why are you summarising what we already know we said?

  68. Scott Minto (Aka Sneekyboy)
    Ignored
    says:

    The Scots Independent is sent out to SNP Party members.

    It is independent of the party but supports it. Its not really a truly no party, pro-scotland publication because of this.

    I dont think that you would win over many undecideds using a paper that solely backs the SNP. 

    Its still nice to get it though, when they run it.   

  69. Scott Minto (Aka Sneekyboy)
    Ignored
    says:

    Been having a think.

    Why not go for the multiplier effect and get a Scots Independent and leave it in pubs, take-aways, doctors surgeries and anywhere else there is a period of waiting.

    That way there is more likely to be a wider number of readers and people who wouldnt buy it may end up reading an article or two… 



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